This invention relates to apparatus and methods for capturing video files that are required for use in HDTV (high definition television) broadcast and demonstration and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus for capturing MPEG (motion pictures experts group) video files.
The change in commercial electronics from analog electronic circuitry to digital electronic circuitry has already brought about and will continue to bring about vast changes in electronic products offered to consumers. While this change has already been seen in the personal computer industry and the digital wireless telephone industry, this trend has now reached the video industry as well. The development of fast, large-capacity disc storage devices and advanced video compression algorithms has allowed the video market to join the digital revolution.
One of the large capacity storage devices now available to the public is the DVD (digital versatile disk). The DVD is one way that compression algorithms have allowed the spacial and temporal redundancy inherent in a moving picture to be reduced to the point where the video information from the moving picture can fit on a disk comparable to an audio compact disk, all the while maintaining a picture quality far beyond the capability of VHS tape. This improved picture quality is necessary for use on larger viewing screens, and as high density television becomes the standard for consumer video entertainment in the relatively near future, the availability of digital video files promises improvements in resolution and viewing aspects that will greatly improve the picture quality on these larger viewing screens. Since HDTV will become standard, the manufacturers of these new televisions are starting to produce and market those products. At present MPEG video files are becoming more readily available and commonplace. As such, the users of the demonstrators and receivers necessary to commercially sell these HDTV products need a means for capturing these MPEG-2 video files and the data they contain for later use.
A need has arisen for an apparatus and method for capturing MPEG-2 files onto a personal computer hard drive memory in a condition in which they may be utilized in the future for viewing on an HDTV.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention, generally stated, to provide a method and apparatus for capturing video files and the data therein for later use. More particularly, it is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for capturing MPEG video files required for HDTV broadcast and demonstration.
The invention resides in a method of capturing and storing digital HDTV signals that comprises the following steps: filling each of the first in-first out registers with data in an 8-bit per device sequential fashion at a constant flow rate until they are half full; transferring the data to system memory as 32-bit words; filling each of the first in-first out registers with the data in an 8-bit per device sequential fashion in a constant flow rate in a quantity equal to half filling said first in-first out registers; transferring the data to system memory as 32-bit words; filling a first of two concurrent blocks of system memory with the data presented to the system memory; filling a second of two concurrent blocks of system memory with the data presented to the system memory; writing the data from the first of two concurrent blocks of system memory to the hard drive as the second of two concurrent blocks of system memory is filling; writing the data from the second of two concurrent blocks of system memory to the hard drive as the first of two concurrent blocks is filling; and the transfer of the 32-bit words being accomplished at a faster rate than the input of the 8-bit data.
The invention further resides in a data capturing and storage apparatus for storing 32-bit HDTV video data wherein the apparatus comprises a central processing unit. System memory in communication with the central processing unit includes at least first and second distinct blocks of memory. Four first in-first out registers are set up in 8-bit sequential relation. A bus master and bus master control means for utilizing each of the first in-first out registers in half sections and filling each half section sequentially.